Elvis Presley: The Searcher Page #11

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Priscilla:

Before he left

to serve in Germany,

Gladys suddenly got sick

and she passed.

West:

When those things

happen like that,

you don't do

a lot of talking.

Elvis and his mother,

that's the closest

I've ever seen anybody

as far as that goes.

Sure was.

Priscilla:

She worried about him

night and day,

because he was

such a sensitive boy.

And yes, she was

overly protective,

but because of the loss

of the twin brother,

that protectiveness

really lingered

until the day she--

she passed.

Elvis:

Farther along

We'll know

All about it

Farther along

Cohn:

Easy to sneer that Elvis

was a mama's boy and so on,

but it wasn't that.

It was one of those relations

between a mother and son

where you could hardly say

where the mother ends

and where the son begins.

And when his mother died,

it left a hole in him.

He was never whole again

as it were.

He deeply feared

not being a good man,

being a godly man.

He needed her there

to say, "I love you,

"and you're doing

the right thing,

and I know you're good."

He needed her. Absolutely.

By and by

Priscilla:

The loss was the most

devastating time in his life.

It was all fun before that.

It was the skating rink,

it was the theater.

It was making a movie,

then going back to Memphis

being with his friends

and playing.

And then, of course,

having Graceland

as the center.

Fixing all that up

for the family,

and so, he matured a lot

because of the loss

of his mother.

It was unbearable

for him during that time.

Elvis:

Then do we...

Man:

Now, as we're getting

closer and closer

to the time that

they're gonna pull

that gangplank away,

and you'll be on your way.

Since this is probably

the last chance

that you'll have to say

something to your fans,

do you have any

particular message?

Elvis:

Well...

I'm gonna be very

honest about it.

Uh, in spite of the fact

that I am going away

and that I'll be

out of their eyes

for some time,

I hope that I'm not

out of their minds.

And, uh, I'll be

looking forward

to the time

when I can come back

and entertain

again like I did, and...

Man:

All we can do is

wish you a wonderful trip

and all the best

luck in the world

and come home soon.

Elvis:

Well, thank you very much.

I'll do my very best.

Jorgensen:

Elvis hadn't had

much time to himself

between that summer day when

he recorded "That's All Right"

and when he was

shipped to Germany.

Suddenly, on a boat

to Germany,

there was lots of time.

That's where he meets

Charlie Hodge,

and they start talking

about music together.

They start singing.

(guitar playing)

Elvis:

Mona Lisa

Mona Lisa,

men have named you

Light:

Charlie Hodge had

been a gospel singer,

who Elvis had heard sing.

Schilling:

He liked Charlie

because Charlie was

in the music business

and somebody he could

relate to that way.

Elvis was so down that

Charlie would tell jokes

and try to keep him up.

Elvis:

Do you smile to tempt

a lover, Mona Lisa

Light:

To have somebody who

he felt understood him,

that he could lean on,

and also to be able

to turn to that music

was tremendously important

for him to get

through that time

and everything

that was going on.

Brought to your doorstep

They just lie there

And they die

Are you warm?

Are you real, Mona Lisa?

Or just a cold and lonely

Lovely work of art?

(Elvis vocalizing)

Jorgensen:

When he gets to Germany,

yes, he's--

he's obviously, uh, committed

to, uh, the hours every day,

but there's, again,

a lot of spare time

in an apartment

or at a house in Germany

where he doesn't know anybody.

So there's a lot of time

for reflection.

Petty:

He goes into the Army,

which is where

he gets the, um,

the pep pills

for the first time,

the methadrine,

to stay up on watch.

Priscilla:

That was the beginning.

He started with the uppers

to get him through the Army,

to get him through

the cold days,

to get him through

the lonely nights.

Man:

Do you have any time

for, uh, music anymore?

Elvis:

Well, uh, only at night.

You see, I get off work

at five o'clock

in the afternoon...

(beeps)

...and, uh, I have a guitar

up here in the room,

and I sit around,

and you know, up here.

I don't want to get out

of practice, you know,

if I can help it.

Man:

I sure hope not.

Let me tell you...

Light:

The struggle while

Elvis was in the Army

was a mandate

from Colonel Parker

that he not record

and not make new music

since he wouldn't

be able to promote it.

But what Elvis didn't know

was Parker was not a legal

resident in the United States.

And without

legitimate papers,

any travel that he took

could present

big problems for him

trying to get back in.

The Colonel,

he would come up with

excuses and

explanations to Elvis,

to his family.

Priscilla:

There'd be telegrams

from Colonel Parker

telling him not to worry,

"I've done this,

I've done this."

Parker was releasing

songs for him

every few months

to keep the fans interested.

Light:

But it's not a lot,

and not at the pace

that they were used to

and that the machine required.

This approach to Elvis's career

was preying on

his vulnerability.

This was certainly

an opportunity for the Colonel

to fully seize the role

of parent, mentor.

The one person who could

take him through

this difficult time

and lead him out

the other way.

Priscilla:

Colonel was like

a father figure.

There's no doubt

about that.

And he felt Colonel knew

what he was doing.

I mean, Colonel brought him

to where he was.

Sam Phillips couldn't do

what Colonel Parker did.

He was bright enough

to know that.

So he was gonna follow

what Colonel Parker said.

He'd been right so far.

Elvis:

Oh, rock

Of ages

Hide thou me

There is no other

Refuge can save...

Schilling:

Anytime Elvis was going

through a really rough time,

he always went

to gospel music.

This old world

Springsteen:

What is gospel?

Gospel is a place where

you go for transcendence,

where you go for peace,

where you go for a

certain type of security.

It's a home.

It's a deep home within

your soul and your body.

Ages

Hide thou me

Priscilla:

We just went to Germany.

My father was stationed there.

Air Force.

And a man came up

to me and said,

"Would you like

to meet Elvis Presley?"

And I thought

he was kidding.

I said, "Sure."

He goes, "No,

I'm really serious."

I told him if I were to--

to meet him,

he'd have to ask my parents,

and my parents

were very reluctant,

and I persuaded them

to at least let me,

you know, meet him.

Elvis:

I will spend

my whole life through

Loving you, loving you

Priscilla:

What does anyone say

to a famous person?

Elvis:

Winter, summer,

springtime too

Priscilla:

Elvis was sitting in a chair,

his legs crossed.

Elvis walked over to me,

and he said,

"Oh, what do we have here?"

He started playing the piano

looking over at me,

and I kind of smiled at him.

The more I looked over,

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